Intermittent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌɪntəˈmɪtn̩t/

Definitions

1. Occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady
2. Happening occasionally and not in a constant manner
3. taking place in intervals that do not follow a regular pattern or sequence

Etymology: "Intermittent" carries the Latin verb "mittere," meaning "to send," at its core, so the word began as something like "sending between." The Latin participle "intermittens" combined "inter-," meaning "among" or "between," with "mittens," the present participle of "mittere." The sense of sending in the verb grew into a sense of letting go or leaving off, which is why a sending-between became a pausing-between. The word reached English through Middle French "intermittent," which carried the same idea of something that comes and goes at intervals. Its meaning is clearer when you see the mechanism: a thing sent between two moments stops and starts, appearing and vanishing like a signal that arrives in bursts.

Synonyms: sporadic, occasional, irregular, periodic

Antonyms: continuous, constant, steady